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Texas Coal Company Wins Award for its Irrigation System Adapted from a Press Release by the Railroad Commission of Texas The Railroad Commission of Texas announced the 2015 Reclamation Award recipient, the Texas Westmoreland Coal Company’s Jewett Mine in Freestone, Leon, and Limestone counties. Commissioners recognized the company for its innovative, solar-powered water well which supplies a portable irrigation system used for reveg- etation of reclaimed acreage planted with trees and shrubs. Nearly half of the mine’s 31,000 total acres are in various stages of reclamation as required by Railroad Commission rules to protect public safety and natural re- sources. Westmoreland’s solar-powered irrigation system is instrumental in estab- lishing vegetative cover for the company’s reclaimed acreage. Chairman David Porter said, “Because of the mine’s remote location, traditional overhead transmission lines were not available to power a water well for reclamation. Instead, Westmoreland researched and then developed a large solar-powered reclamation well to irrigate reclaimed areas, ultimately carrying on a long-standing Texas coal mining practice of restoring nat- ural areas.” The Jewett Mine is one of the largest in Texas and produces 4-6 million tons of coal annually, or about 9% of the state’s total coal production each year. Commissioner Christi Craddick said, “The innovation by Westmoreland Coal Company is typical of our energy pro- ducers in Texas. They take a challenge and then develop a new way to address a challenge, in this case, how to irrigate a remote, large-scale revegetation project in a dry climate.” The system captures solar energy through several large photovoltaic mod- ules, which then send the converted en- ergy to electric water pumps. Groundwater is brought to the surface and temporarily held in large, on-site storage tanks until battery-powered remote control valves open, allowing water to flow through the irrigation systems until the preprogrammed interval of time has expired. Each irrigation zone is synchronized, allowing for a nearly complete autonomous watering system. Derrell Ezell, environmental superintendent for the Texas Westmorel and Coal Company; Railroad Commission Chairman David Porter; Denny Kingsley, Texas Westmoreland Coal Company president and general manager; and Railroad Commissioners Christi Craddick and Ryan Sitton presenting the Railroad Commission of Texas’ 2015 Reclamation Award. +9 &8 ,&6"4/23 *,'*&,% "4&2 &,, /.6&.4*/.", ".% &6&23& *2$5,"4*/. 2*,, *0& 15*0-&.4 +9 &8 ,&6"4/23 2& 3&% /2,%7*%& ! 2&8 2&8-$'"%%&. $/- ,&6"4/23 /"% 4&34 $&24*'*$"4&3 "6"*,"#,& * $ "% * $ ( # * $ "% * " # % ! ! $% " ! ! # " ' $ # ) " ! ) " "# ) % # ) ! "# & )"6& &,&6"4/23 /' ",, 3*:&3 490&3 ".% 7&*()43 ".% $". #5*,% 4/ ".9 30&$*", "00,*$"4*/.3 ) ' & # ) $ ( "# ) $" % % !# ) " ## & " % # ) $# ) ' # &7 3&% 15*0-&.4 6"*,"#,& 777 2&8-$'"%%&. $/- 23 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® NOVEMBER 2015